Close the other video streaming application to start video

Click start control panel view devices and printers you should see your webcam from there if you are have trouble with your webcam Click start control panel administrative tools computer management device manager scroll down image devices you could see a yellow question mark? right click to reinstall drivers or update driver xp Click start right click on computer select properties device manager scroll to image devices expand right click to update driver in W7 http://download.cnet.com/2000-20_4.html on the home page you should see a search tab just type in what you are looking for IE: webcam name webcam driver you might have to try a few times to get it right tick in either windows software or the all software box. If you don't have or cant find the driver you will need to download one here rather doing a driver hunt which can take hours http://download.cnet.com/slimdrivers-free/3000-18513_4-75279940.html It might take some time being a freeware driver solution Note: This will find all of your outdated drivers This program will automatically search for and find the correct driver you will have to update every driver individually once you update you might be asked whether you want to restart or make a system restore point. Click no to both of these then continue updating each driver free then restart once all of the drivers have been updated. Some webcams and programs require additional software, although that should be installed with the webcam if things are right. But is does not harm to check if your Java, Flash and Quicktime software are installed and up to date. But certainly check your DirectX software, since all video applications, including webcams, use DirectX for video processing. Try downloading the latest DirectX version and install it (Windows XP: DirectX 9.0c - Windows Vista: DirectX 10). http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Which-version-of-DirectX-is-on-your-computer b> b> Go to Facebook and log into your account. Click the "Profile" tab. Click the "Video" link in the "Status" menu. Select the "Record a Video" option. For privacy reasons, Facebook requests permission to access your webcam and microphone. Check the box next to "Allow" and click "Close." You will appear in real time on the Facebook webcam window. Position yourself in front of the webcam and click the red "Record" button to begin recording your new video. When you're finished, press the "Stop" button. Click the "Play" button to view your video. If you want to post it on your profile, add a brief message and click "Share." If you're not satisfied with the outcome, press "Reset" and record a new video. b> Video Message Log into your Facebook account Navigate through your friends list and select the friend you want to send a video message to on Facebook. Click the "Send Message" link in the upper-right corner of your friend's page. Click the "Video" icon in the attachments section at the bottom of the "New Message" window. Check the box next to "Allow" to give Facebook permission to access your webcam and microphone, and then click "Close." Press "Record" and record your new video message. Click "Stop" when you're finished recording. When you're finished recording, you can press "Play" to preview your video.

How to troubleshoot Webcams in Windows Vista?

If you are having difficulty getting the webcam to work, review the tips about using a webcam, and then follow the troubleshooting actions in this article.
Tips:

• Do not enter standby and then wake the system immediately, before the power light turns yellow. If so, the webcam may not function correctly until the computer is restarted. To avoid this issue, allow the system to fully enter standby before waking up the system.
• If you installed the webcam separately (it did not come with your Vista PC), make sure the webcam drivers and software are compatible with Windows Vista.
• If you are using an external webcam, make sure you install any webcam software from the CD before you plug the webcam to your computer. Without the software, the webcam may not be recognized by your computer and this can cause error messages.
• If the display is blank, the camera may have timed out. Turn the camera on again.
• If the camera does not display Connected to computer, disconnect and then reconnect your camera.
• Make sure the camera is set to Digital Camera in USB Configuration when trying to download images through some software.
• Test your webcam in a different application to confirm if the issue is specific to that application. If the webcam functions properly in a different application, then contact the manufacturer of the video software for the latest drivers and for specific troubleshooting instructions.
• If you have an external webcam, test it on another computer. If it functions properly on a different computer that has the same operating system, then you may need to install hardware drivers for your computer to work with the webcam.
• If an external webcam fails to work on several computers, your webcam may be defective. Contact the webcam manufacturer for specific diagnostic information and troubleshooting instructions.
• Your webcam may not work properly across some network firewalls. If you have trouble viewing or sending video to someone on another LAN or outside the network firewall, refer to the support information for the firewall or contact a network administrator for assistance.
• Dial-up Internet connections often lack the data transfer capacity to handle both video and voice simultaneously. A broadband Internet connection is highly recommended for video messaging. Performance varies with dial-up connections.
• For the best webcam experience, close all other applications and background tasks, and limit your Internet browsing or streaming to preserve bandwidth.

Step 1: Close all software before starting a new webcam session
Sometimes after you finish using the webcam in a software program, the program may not properly release the webcam for other activities in other applications, or even the same application. Sometimes you cannot use the webcam because it is being accessed by another program by default. So, if you are having a problem with your webcam, close the program you are using it in and then restart the same program or open a different program.
Step 2: Restart your PC
Sometimes, closing the software application that was using the webcam is not enough. Some webcam software cannot close the webcam for other applications to use later. When this happens, the webcam cannot be used by any other application until the computer is restarted.
Step 3: Select the webcam in your video viewing software list
Make sure USB 2.0 Camera or your Webcam is selected as the video input source in the software you are trying to use. The various software programs that can use the webcam use different terms for describing a video source and the option to select it can vary. Usually, camera, webcam, or video settings can be found in the preferences or properties pages for the software that uses the webcam.
If your PC includes a TV tuner, often the TV tuner is the default video input device. So, for example, if you are using Windows Live Messenger to have a video chat with your webcam, you need to select the your Webcam as the active input device because the TV tuner is the active video input device by default.
Example: Select webcam in Windows Live Messenger
To select the webcam as the default video input device in Windows Live Messenger:
1. Open Windows Live Messenger.
2. Click the arrow icon on the Windows Live Messenger toolbar.
3. Select Tools and then Audio and Video Setup .
4. Click Next, Next, and then Next again.
5. In the "Select a Webcam you would like to use" dropdown list, select the name that corresponds to the webcam that is installed on your PC (such as USB 2.0 Camera)
6. Click Finish.

Step 4: Download the latest drivers and updates for your webcam and your video software
Some webcams may not be recognized by some software programs unless you have the most recent drivers and updates for your webcam hardware and webcam video software. Also, if the video footage from your webcam is in a format not supported by your video software, you may need a third-party plug-in or utility to view or convert the video footage to a format supported by your webcam video software.

• If you installed the webcam separately, go to the webcam manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers, updates, plug-ins, or conversion utilities for any webcam video software. Make sure the webcam drivers and software are compatible with Windows Vista!
• If you are having problems getting the webcam to be recognized by video playing or editing software, go the software manufacturer web site to find and install any updates or patches.
• Check Windows Update for any Vista-related drivers that may affect your webcam and your video software. Click the Start button, All Programs , and then Windows Update

Step 5: Make sure you have the correct Vista drivers installed
If you are having problems hearing sound or using your webcam, try the following steps.
Make sure you have installed the correct Vista drivers and not the generic sound driver in Windows. If you have installed the generic sound driver, uninstall the webcam video software and download and install this Vista sound driver, and then reinstall your webcam video software.
To update Windows Vista drivers:

• Click the Start button, All Programs , and then click Windows Update . If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
• Click Check for updates .
• To see if updated drivers are available, click View available updates . Windows Update will list any updated drivers that are available for devices installed in your computer.
• If updates are available, click the driver that you want to install, and then click Install . Follow any onscreen instructions to finish installing the available drivers.

You may need to set up the sound settings in your instant messaging program or any other video webcam software you are using with your webcam. Refer to the Help information in your webcam software.

You can't have two video cameras in operation at the same time. Video cameras are known as "streaming devices" to the operating system.

You will need to go into your device manager and "DISABLE" the one camera you don't want to use in order for the other to work properly.

try disabling your virus program and then trying sopcast again. Let me know if that helps.

If so, some of these programs will interfere with streaming video programs. Uninstall them and give it a try. Let me know how it goes.

I recently purchased a new dell laptop and had similar issues out of the box. I ended up having to format the drive and re-installing the operating system from the disk provided because the original install was corrupt.

The same thing happened to me. But I believe this happened because I upgraded my Vista from 32-bit to 64-bit. How I solved it? The same way someone earlier suggested: update the driver:
1. Start the device manager (Click Start, type "device", and then click on "Device Manager" which appears as part of the search)
2. click the + next to "Imaging Devices"
3. Right click the "Integrated WebCam"
4. Click Properties
5. Click the option "Update Driver"
6. Automatically the updated driver will be loaded.
7. Restart your computer.

Hope this works for you.

I have an answer! I've tried many times to fix this problem on my laptop, even talking to two dell reps in the process(which was worthless). Finally I found the problem(for me, at least)- my webcam's driver was not compatible. If you haven't tried this already, go to your Device Manager, click the plus sign next to Imaging Devices, and select Integrated Webcam. Right click that and select Update Driver Software. I downloaded the latest driver it found and restarted my computer, and miraculously my webcam central was back to normal. I hope this helps you too!

what may be happening is photoshop is still aquiring the cam in the programme although you may of finished using the software and the camera automatically associates itself with adobe. press Ctrl, Alt & Delete to get into task manager and in the applications tab look for your photoshop programme, if it is there, click end process. If not there look in processes and do the same, this should release your camera for use with other applications. If all fails you will have to uninstall the camera software and reinstall to associate it with the cam.

Have you tried shutting down, turning off and restarting the PC yet? If not give it a try, MSN could have crashed but Windows still things it running. When you try to start MSN again you get your error message. If you've already tried that or if it doesn't work did you receive any error messages or make any significant change prior?